Derrick Rose vs. Russel Westbrook: The Debate On Athleticism

[burnsy87]

-Leaping Ability =
1. Wall
2. Westbrook
3. Rose

-Explosiveness =
1. Rose
2. Westbrook
3. Wall

-Speed =
1. Wall
2. Rose
3. Westbrook

-Quickness =
1. Rose
2. Westbrook
3. Wall

-Agility =
1. Rose
2. Westbrook
3. Wall

-Strength =
1. Westbrook
2. Wall
3. Rose
But to be honest... im not 100% sure.... i dont think there is much difference between Rose/Westbrook/Wall athleticism, if there is then the difference is microscopical....

Did you honestly just put Rose at the bottom for strength?

Ok, put westbrook above him, even though I think Rose is the strongest point guard in the world. The problem is, you put John Freaking Wall ahead of him in strength.

John Wall looks like a 12 year old child next to Rose.

[pauk]

Did you honestly just put Rose at the bottom for strength?

Ok, put westbrook above him, even though I think Rose is the strongest point guard in the world. The problem is, you put John Freaking Wall ahead of him in strength.

John Wall looks like a 12 year old child next to Rose.

Like i said... im not sure lol... the difference (if any) is microscopical

[kingBynum]

westbrook beats rose in all

[Pointguard]

So while you and DRose were out drinking last night he confided in you that he's conserving gas during the regular season. Not only that but his master plan is to avoid dunking because those 15 drunks he laid in instead will be a big boon to him come playoffs.

Yo, you have to be the stuuuuupidest person on this forum. Can you even read a lick. I said it first. He reiterates it. I clarify it for you and now you are still stuck in the mud. He, nor I, say Rose told either one of us anything. You can't tell when someone is playing it safe or conserving their energy??? Do you play any sports at all? You aparently never even had a fight.

Smart people conserve if they ever had a situation where their energy was ever depleted. Dunking requires extra energy for style points, its not about substance or added value (cept maybe in a home game). Its not necessary. You keep your energy for your ultimate goals.

[Pointguard]

Like i said... im not sure lol... the difference (if any) is microscopical

LOL, yeah right, you know it moreso than most. Rose is strong enough that Wade doesn't use his strength on him like he does everybody else. So my guess is you seen both Wall and Westbrook body up on Wade. I know you watch all the games, too. I seen Billups bully Deron Williams, but he doesn't even try it with Rose. Kidd might be the only PG with the same strength as Rose.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwcX4gRkuKk On the break away here Rose initiates contact with Wade twice. Wade ends up in the stands knowing Rose is going at him.

[I.R.Beast]

Leaping Ability - Rose
Speed - Rose
Quickness - Rose
Agility - Rose
Strength - Rose

And im more of a westbrook fan, Because he's more emphatic when finishing at the rim...He's trying to smash everyone. Rose however is more dominant and harder to stop from getting what and where he wants.

[CHi1PriDe]

What do the Chicago Bulls, Oklahoma CityThunder and Washington Wizards have in common? They all boast athletic, scoring point guards. Indeed, Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook and John Wall are three of the most compelling athletes ever at the point guardposition. All three were born within 23 months of each other, making this a golden age of athletic point guards.

With an MVP award on his r

[All Net]

I would give Westbrook the edge but what makes both so speical with their speed is their change of direction and the way they can get so close to the basket from outside the three point line so easily...only takes a matter of seconds.

[I.R.Beast]

westbrook doesn/t jump higher than rose his arms are just longer....

[Shepseskaf]

To my eyes, Westbrook is a more fluid athlete. Rose's movements tend to be almost awkward at times. But Rose is a better player who's decision making is far more advanced. Westbrook would never be able to lead his team the way Rose has.

[MASH Transit]

To my eyes, Westbrook is a more fluid athlete. Rose's movements tend to be almost awkward at times. But Rose is a better player who's decision making is far more advanced. Westbrook would never be able to lead his team the way Rose has.

Yea, the Bulls 7-3 record without Rose supports that.

[Pointguard]

Westbrook is as close to a perfect leaper as there is. He owns a high vertical leap, the ability to take off from far out and his versatility in jumping effectively off of one foot or two make him the complete package. Westbrook was third in the league among guards in dunks (52) and had almost as many as Rose and Wall combined (58). Russell Westbrook Glenn James/NBAE/Getty ImagesRussell Westbrook could use some more muscle to ward off physical defenders.

The Thunder point guardalso hasthe unique ability to create a late burst with his last two steps -- after he picks up his dribble --allowing him to essentially accelerate in the air, rendering most help defense useless. Westbrook's long arms also allow him to time follow-up dunks while taking off from outside the charge circle.

Wall is at his best exploding off his vertical to catch alley-oops, which he can finish with authority. But his hang time and elevation don't quitematchupto Westbrook's.

Rose 9.5, Westbrook 10, Wall 9.5

Speed

When it comes to speed, we're talking end-to-end speed, arguably a point guard's most useful physical tool. From one foul line to the other, there is no faster player in the game than Wall. His speed is such that he can create a fast break out of almost any turnover, loose ball or rebound. While most players begin to decelerate and look for an open wing or trailer once crossing half court, Wall continues to accelerate until the defense can no longer keep up.

Often this will take Wall below the foul line, putting him in a position to shoot. It can also take him too far under the rim, which can sometimes lead to low-percentage shot attempts. But for the most part it works; Wall was second in the league with 5.6 fast-break points per game last year.

Rose is not quiteas speedyas Wallbutinmanywaysuseshis speed more effectively. The edge Rose has over Wall is that he operates with more control. There's a fine line between going full tilt and turningover the ball. Infact, ifWallslowed down, he would certainly trim his average of 3.8 turnovers per game.

Westbrook likes to push but not with the determination and zeal of Rose or Wall. Often he brings the ball upcourt at a measured trot with his bodyupright, then goes into attack mode when he sees an opening. The difference: Rose and Wall's quickness creates openings while Westbrook just exploits them.

Rose 9.5, Westbrook 9, Wall 10

Quickness

Top-flight point guards have to consistently beat their man off the dribble whether they are of the pass-first variety or have a scorer's mentality. The kind of quickness that matters most is 3-point line-to-basket quickness.

Rose has the game's best first step regardless of position. Rose sets up much of his penetration with left-to-right crossovers or simple head fakes to get the defender to lean before exploding in the opposite direction. Much like a running back who plants his foot and explodes upfield, Rose can quickly turn the corner and exploit most holes in defenses. But his true skill is being able to change directions several times from the 3-point line to the rim without sacrificing speed, which leaves help defenders flat-footed. Rose is also good at coming down from speed, which can be as tricky for defenders to handle as his initial burst.

Westbrook's deceptive quickness is better suited for the half-court game as he likes to use low dribbles to split double-teams and has a second step just as quick as his first, allowing him to get up to speed in tight spaces. In many ways -- thanks to long arms and excellent floor vision -- Westbrook is just as dangerous as Rose. But Rose's quickness is a cut above.

Wall has a nice variety of setup moves to initiate his ample quickness but simply doesn't put defenders on notice the way his counterparts do. For all Wall's quickness he averages only 1.9 points at the rim in the half-court set. Too often Wall settles for an outside shot, which decreases the number of times he can use his quickness. Either way Wall takes a backseat to Rose and Westbrook in this category.

Rose 10, Westbrook 9.5, Wall 9

Strength

Thanks to a powerful build and tree trunk-like legs, Rose makes this the most one-sided category. Rose's strength puts nearly everyone he faces at a disadvantage. When he turns the corner with his dribble, defenders are forced to be as physical as possible to prevent him from getting to the hole, which often results in overzealous hacking that sends him to the line. Rose ranks 11th in free throw attempts with 6.85 attempts per game.

In the air he invites contact, which ironically almost seems to stabilize him as he double-clutches his way to yet another reverse layup.

Westbrook is no slouch in this category but doesn't exactly turn heads. He won't bully you like Deron Williams but has shown resiliency in taking contact at the rim. Rarely do hard fouls discourage him. Putting on five to 10 more pounds of muscle would make Westbrook near impervious to midair assaults from opposing guards. Derick Rose, John Wall Geoff Burke/US PresswireJohn Wall is young, but in time he could rise to Rose's level.

Wall's strength is one of the more underrated aspects of his game. At 6-foot-4 and blessed with excellent size -- broad shoulders and long arms -- Wall's strength will be an even bigger asset when he develops a post game and begins to take smaller guards on the block. But Wall's speed and quickness is so effective that he rarely resorts to strength as a means of gaining an advantage.

Rose 10, Westbrook 9, Wall 8.5 Balance

Balance is one of the most overlooked athletic attributes yet easily one of the most important. It's the building block all athletic fundamentals are built upon. Excellent balance allows players to operate at speed, quickly change direction and absorb contact while still getting off a shot. Rose's excellent balance and agility allow him to tie together each of his abilities seamlessly, which results in near athletic perfection when operating on the floor. That balance is the source of his ability to stop and start so suddenly and shift to a higher gear on hispenetration.

Westbrook also shines in this category, particularly in the air, as he effectively gets off shots when bumped while high above ground. Good thing, since Westbrook often takes off from one foot, making him easier to knock off balance. His gaudy 10.2 points in the paint per game ranks 14th overall ahead of both Rose and Wall.

This category is where Wall falls way short. A lack of balance is Wall's biggest weakness. Ironically, his brilliant speed might contribute to his wobbly ways, as he can sometimes move too fast for his own good and find himself out of control. Also his center of gravity at speed is so low that the faster he goes he tends to lean forward, causinghimto lose his balance, especially if he's bumped.

Rose 9.5, Westbrook 9, Wall 7

Final score: Rose 48.5, Westbrook 46.5, Wall 44

Even among the elite athletes in the game Derrick Rose stands out as the best. From a physical standpoint the fourth-year point guard has almost no weakness. He's the fastest, strongest and most fluid NBA player of his generation at his position.

While not quiteon Rose's level, Westbrook is electrifying in his own right and has one of the most complete athletic arsenals at any position. Westbrook lacks Rose's body control and strength --which is why he finishes second -- but turns his speed and leaping ability into tangible stats in a way Rose doesn't.

Westbrook edges Rose in dunks, fast-break points, free throw attempts and points in the paint -- four key categories that point to great athleticism for small guards.

Wall still possesses game-breaking ability and is the youngest of the three. With a better understanding of how to use his immense tools he could wind up on the level of Rose and Westbrook. But for now Rose stands alone as the most athletic guard in the NBA.

Can't believe you wrote all of that and I don't disagree with hardly any of it. Well said, well done and great work!

[icewill36]

idk why, but i dont like the fact wall is being mentioned in this thread with westbrook and rose...

hes just not nearly as good as them so please leave him out of this.

[Pointguard]

idk why, but i dont like the fact wall is being mentioned in this thread with westbrook and rose...

hes just not nearly as good as them so please leave him out of this.

Its not about how good they are. Its about their athletism.

Wall will be in, or close to their company tho... Hard to imagine him not getting a lot better.